


Into Oblivion

by daices



Category: Eldemore
Genre: A ton of Elkrin, First fic ever haha, Gen, How do you tag haha, I'll add the characters as the story progresses, Just a bunch of Eldemore creatures in general, rated for violence and the like
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-14
Updated: 2015-11-08
Packaged: 2018-03-30 11:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3934723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daices/pseuds/daices
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Long ago, Oblivion was torn apart and scattered throughout the earth. However, as corruption and darkness tightens its grasp on the world, Eldemore must face the imminent danger of the second coming of Oblivion. Entrusted with the fate of the world by gods long forgotten, A dishonoured Elvian Knight must take the weight of fate upon her heart… Or doom the lives of everyone in Eldemore trying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh, Hello there! Glad to see you drop by! I actually go by ιηƒιηιтє. on Eldemore. This is my first AO3 Fanfiction, so I hope it's alright, haha! 
> 
> All unconfirmed lore is purely a result of my over-active imagination.

Long ago, Eldemore was a cryptic and arcane place, filled to the brim with magic. Majestic beings called Ancients roamed the earth, their grandiose far greater than anyone today would ever be able to imagine.

Their followers -or offspring, in the cases of some- grew in population and was plentiful. The entirety of Eldemore was lush and green.

However. For isn’t there always a however? Some of the great Ancients were not satisfied.

Each were bestowed with a power by some great force, and were given a majestic and meticulously crafted appearance so different and so unique from the rest of the general Eldemorian populace that only true artists could have created them, thought of them.

But those powers bestowed were not always… Pure ones.

You had the neutral Ancients, like those involved in materialistic things. For example, the elements.

You had pure ancients, like those that ruled over the cycles of the world. The ancient of life was but one of the better instances.

And you had chaotic ancients, like those that ruled over emotions.

Oblivion was among them.

But he wasn’t called Oblivion then; not yet.

Rather, their more well-known moniker was the ancient of…

Love.

Yes, the hulking and consuming thing that more resembled twisted and jumbled shadows than a being was once an incarnate of one of the most coveted emotions in the world.

But love was -is- a cruel and fickle thing, so easily tainted by spite and jealousy. And slowly, the Ancient of Love’s heart, once so full, split and fractured, their love and the torment that resulted from it fragmenting their soul so much until he simply had no more love to give.

Yet the feeling of love, of being loved, was so enticing, so addicting, that the fragments of their heart and soul filled with an insatiable hunger, wanting to find and reclaim that coveted emotion again.

A great war ensued, the catalyst a tormented being that rampaged the entirety of Eldemore, killing and destroying and slaughtering, searching for the one thing that had been lost to him. It pit all the ancients against him, even those who counted themselves among the rulers of emotions.

But love is not so easily caught, not so easily vanquished.

Terrible turmoil ensued for millennia. Many of the great Ancients were slaughtered, their essence spread all across Eldemore. Many species simply ceased to exist, collateral damage of the fight of the gods.

And finally, after numerous casualties, too many to even count, Love was split and torn apart by the remaining ancients, their essence seeping into the ground, their blood mixing with the earth as their scream tore at the very seams of Eldemore.

Where their blood mixed with water and earth, primitive beings formed, shapeless mounds of clay tinged with cruel blood that wandered the earth, weak at first, but quickly gaining strength as they traveled, the blood of the fallen ancients mingling with the earth they were made with, forming them, shaping them, infusing with their very being.

The remaining ancients watched from a distance as they nursed their wounds, raising a curious eyebrow at the result of scattered love and earth.

They decided to call these beings, these greedy little things made of clay and crimson, humans.

Some while later, the Ancients looked down upon the humans who were flourishing in the world like they had dominated it to begin with. A few wondered if the blood of the fallen had anything to do with their success.

They had been mixed with the earth from the very beginning, and it was what rooted them. 

And it seemed as if the entire race could control what the dead Ancients had been able to, but could not control the powers granted to the Ancient’s still alive. They could wield the elements, but none would remember trudging past and wading through the blood of the fallen Ancients of Metal, of Water, of Light. Yet the concept of Future, of Time, of Life, of those Ancients that still hovered at the corners of the world, seemed to eternally evade their grasp.

And of course, Love. Who could forget it? The core of the humans’ existence.

Perhaps that emotion was why they fought so, why they seemed peaceful one moment and warring the next.

Perhaps the taste, the small droplet and fragment of love they got, fueled a hidden hunger.

Maybe that hunger would erupt into a ravenous thing that would consume everything, almost like Love -like Oblivion had done so long ago.

But for now… The calamity was over. So the Ancients would watch. And wait.


	2. Tranquility

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which character exposition and headcannons are shoved down readers' throats.
> 
> Hopefully it's not as boring as I think it is, and the headcannons are something interesting.
> 
> Stick with me till chapter three! I promise it gets better~

Bong… Bong… Bong…

Trinity woke blearily, mind still frantically grasping at the last tendrils of sleep. Sitting up and shoving the snarled cotton blankets off of her body until they only covered her legs, she rubbed the vestiges of sleep from her eyes, raking a hand through her hair, knowing beforehand that her unruly mass was the black, hairy equivalent of a cloud; thus is the problem of long and wavy hair individuals paired with restless sleep. 

Groaning as she rose, she shot a sleepy smile to one of her roommates, the only one who was even slightly roused by the deep boom of the gong; after four years of the same monotonous bell, they had gotten used to sleeping right through it. Getting an equally sleepy -albeit a bit more annoyed- smile in return, the two of them dressed in companionable silence. Donning her armour one layer after another, Trinity stretched to get used to the intricately woven combination of fine, silvery chain mail and smooth violet ebony as it rested on her body. Brushing a bit of dust off of the lip of one of the shoulder guards, she tucked the slim silver crown -made especially for those in silver rank, and to accentuate the sleek elegance of the armour and her race, in general- under her arm, then stood at the head of one of the beds, gazing down at the still-prone form of a shapeless lump currently nestled in the covers up to pale, straw-coloured hair. Smiling in faint amusement as said roommate muttered in her sleep and withdrew deeper into the fine blankets, Trinity reached out a hand.

“Hey, Mina.” She murmured, one hand reaching over and shaking the shoulder -or at least, what she thought was the shoulder- of the other female. 

Getting no reply but an intelligible, annoyed mutter, muffled by layers of cloth, Trinity quickly made eye contact with her two final roommates, both dressed quicker than she had thought possible, both waiting by the door. Waving them away, the sable-haired girl sighed and turned back to the task at hand.

“Mina. You have to wake up.” Voice louder and firmer this time, Trinity frowned in exasperation when the prone figure merely stirred slightly before burying herself in the bed until her hair wasn’t even visible anymore. Just why was she friends with this person, again? This person who slept like the dead?

Rolling her eyes, one edge of Trinity’s mouth quirked into a slightly sinister smile. “You asked for it, Mina…”

Clearing her throat, she took one step away from her bed. “THE CAPTAIN HAS ARRIVED FOR INSPECTION!” She belted out, equally as loud as it was sudden, yelled in the deepest voice she could manage.

With a string of muffled expletives, a pale straw and alabaster blur practically leaped up from the top bunk, almost clipping Trinity’s shoulder as they rocketed past her in a flurry of cloth and misguided panic. 

“What the hell, Trin?! Why didn’t you just… friggin… Come on…” A short but elfish girl leapt from the top bunk, panicked voice trailing off as she struggled with the straps of her boots -most likely because she hadn’t bothered to fully untangle the bedsheets from her legs.

The aforementioned girl started to chuckle. “Not my fault.” She said calmly, crossing her arms and making no move to interfere with the struggle. 

“What do you mean?! I thought we were buddies. I thought we were, like, the bes…” The petite woman’s voice trailed off, hands slowing as they reached for a tunic, murky green eyes narrowing.

“There’s no inspection, is there?”

Her only answer a slow shake of a head, the smaller girl then proceeded to toss her hands into the air and pace around the room with boots thudding loudly, buckles loose and flying around. Mina -as the smaller female was called- stalked forward in annoyance.

“I swear, Trin, I will end-”

Trinity cut her off by abruptly walking towards the flap of the ten, just slightly open, showing flashes of armour as they marched past. “Sorry, what was that? I couldn’t hear you over the sound of people going to practice. Which is. You know. Right now.” The heavily implying sentence was surprisingly unemotional, although it was punctuated by a sly wink from faded blue eyes.

“Oh my Mytha, I swear-”

The rest of Mina’s sentence (threat?) was lost to Trinity as she quickly stepped into the steadily trickling crowd to escape the tiny female’s wrath, quickly losing herself in the monotonous thud and clinking of wood and metal, melting into the group of other Silvers.

\- - - - -  
Trinity fought to keep a grin off of her face as she heard an out-of-breath Rider trying to sidle her way through the tightly organized formation the Silvers were currently in without being spotted by the Captain. Easing to her place next to Trinity, the taller of the two didn’t even flinch when a hard elbow dug into an unprotected portion of her side, merely raising a finger to her lips and pointing discreetly at the captain, who had just started speaking.

“You’ve been summoning your bonded ever since you were a copper.” The deep, gruff voice boomed, his bass tone, straight stature and wide, sloping slabs of smoky purple armour making him seem absolutely intimidating, the strident Elkrin he was currently astride on accentuating the attribute even more.

Continuing his speech, the Man stilled his ride. “But today, there is a time limit. You are all almost Golds; I expect you all to act like it. I am not wasting any more of my time or your comrade’s time waiting for your weak summoning.” 

“If you do not complete the summoning in two minutes, you will be demoted to three months of bronze rank training. Am I clear?” He barked, eyes squinted at the group in front of her.

A chorus of Yes's were heard, quickly followed by a sudden swelling of concerned muttering; it was always known that a final test would be issued, but no one had prepared for something like this. Why, some could barely keep their time under five minutes. Out of the corner of her eye, Trinity was pretty sure she saw a roguish-looking man burst out in tears. However, she was too apprehensive to look, fearing she might burst out crying as well. For she had never been able to manage a summoning in two minutes either.

The roll call began, and one by one, Silvers walked up to the edge of the clearing, closing their eyes and mentally calling their bonded. For some, a reaction was almost immediate; within seconds, a flash of light, a flurry of petals, or the soft pounding of hooves against grass was quickly followed by the appearance of one the slender Elkrin, faintly flickering with the magic that they had just used to get from wherever they were in the forest to the edge of the forest, where the Silvers were standing. However, for others -and unfortunately, this was the majority- long, insufferable seconds ticked past, time dragging on, tension in the air thickening so much you could cut it with a knife. A collective sigh of relief could be heard time and time again, the Elkrin appearing just in time to nuzzle their Rider’s face in concern, wondering exactly why the Elvian’s face had taken on such a pale pallor and panicked expression.

“Mina Sukais!” The Captain boomed, eyes zeroing in on the waiflike Elvian standing beside and roughly three heads shorter than Trinity. Giving the blue-eyed girl next to her a small smile, the blonde slowly made her way up to the front of the Silvers, ignoring whispers of “Fawn!” “Pigmy-kin!” and “Halfling!” Following her like some lingering stench, although Trinity could see Mina’s jaw clenching in anger. Clenching a fist as well, Trinity stared daggers at the trees in front of her, forcing herself to calm down.

Once the petite female stopped at the edge of the clearing, she proceeded to pull out a small, tarnished bell from a fold in her chainmail, holding it in front of her and ringing it once. A chorus of lazily subdued laughs, low and mocking, rose from behind her; however, it was quickly silenced by a faint jingling of buckles and leather rubbing against leather, the sound quickly growing louder before a small black and white splotched Elkrin stepped into the clearing, doe eyes blinking nervously as it took another step, a harness that was much too big for its tiny frame clinking again. Another chorus of ugly laughs sounded; shooting a furious glare behind her, Mina gently picked up one of the fine leather reins hanging loosely around a thin, furry neck, leading the small pygmy Elkrin away. 

Eyes shooting millions of apologies at the smaller female, Trinity snapped to attention when she heard the last echoes of her name get called, and slowly started to make her way to the front. Like it was with Mina, the whispers started almost immediately. 

“Hey… Doesn’t she look like Steven?”

“Holy… That’s Steven’s little sister.”

“D’you think she’ll ever be able to do what her brother has done?”

Staunchly ignoring everyone and everything, Trinity merely walked to the front of the group with her hands clasped in front of her. Crouching down, Trinity gazed into the vast expanses of verdant green forest, before reaching into her pocket and grabbing a twisted match. Closing her eyes, she struck the match against her pants, holding it in front of her for a second before flicking it as far as she could, the small flame crumbling into ash before it had even reached the ground.

Please… Lumis, I need you.

Opening her eyes, Trinity scrutinized the forest, brow furrowing in disappointment. She saw… Nothing. She wasn’t exactly expecting to be one of the quick summoners, but not seeing any sign of her deer-like friend was still extremely worrying

Half a minute went by. Then a minute. Then a minute and a half.Trinity could feel the stares from her peers boring into her back, like spikes of heat searing her over and over. Just where…?

The Captain edged closer, vague surprise and disappointment evident in his eyes.

After all, how could you foresee Steven’s sister to fail?

Trinity closed her eyes, expression falling into disappointment as well. Of course. She had never been a fast summoner anyways; what made her think this time was any different what made her-

She was torn out of her thoughts by something warm, comforting, and all too familiar pressing into her hair. 

Snapping her eyes open, Trinity gazed up into hooded yellow eyes, the charcoal-black Elkrin in front of her nuzzling her again. Smiling, Trinity planted a soft kiss on a furry nose, standing up and smoothing a hand over short black fur.

“You came… I knew you would come.” Trinity murmured, leading him away to join the others.

The Elkrin seemed to nicker his reassurance.

\- - - - -  
After the test ended, and those who did not pass were escorted out, Trinity looked around at the much emptier clearing; it was surprising how little people passed. It was her, Mina, another girl with brown hair that she faintly remembered and recognized, and four more guys, making it seven in total. 

“Alright. You seven who have passed; Congratulations on becoming the newest Golds.” The Captain boomed, though his voice seemed to carry no congratulatory hints at all; it seemed his only setting was loud and vaguely disappointed.

“You will be transferred tomorrow to Midas, by the best Gold Riders currently in camp. The crown prince will be riding with them; be honoured that you can meet Mythandian’s third, transfers.” His eyes flickered with faint jealousy, and seemed to unconsciously flick over to Trinity before back to a focal point over their heads. 

“You will arrive here, no later than five in the morning, or they will leave without you. That is all.” With a quick flourish of silvery silk cape, the Captain departed without so much as another parting word.

As the five trickled away, Trinity stood frozen, just barely acknowledging Mina who hovered around her. 

The Midas Riders? Trinity’s thoughts unconsciously flickered through her mind, completely ignoring or forgetting the fact that the crown prince would be riding with them.

-A flash of black hair and blue eyes so like her own. . . Watching as she was always one step behind. . . A swish of copper exchanged for bronze, the bronze to silver, then silver exchanged for gold... - 

It would be the first time in four years that Trinity would ever see her brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sorry about not updating last week! I went on a roadtrip and got slammed with homework afterwards. To make up for it, I'll upload the next chapter on sunday, to speed things up a bit.
> 
> Again, I hope this was... Okay. Did I mess up on the lore? Please tell me if I did! ^^


	3. Reunions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Headcannons. Introducting new characters. Along with stereotypes galore.
> 
> There'll be a short little tidbit of the third chapter down at the end, if that's good enough incentive to stomach this. cx
> 
> Again, if I got any lore/technical things wrong; feel free to correct me! ^^

The Elvians practiced a very secular version of conscription, with each level separated with very strict laws keeping them apart. No training soldier was allowed to even step foot on the connecting trails between ranked cities, although they were able to take roads to some side villages and out into the surrounding forest.

As for the Midas Riders; it was a moniker given to a group of elite riders that were housed in the Gold City. An ever-constant contubernium consisting of no more than ten very carefully selected Elvians that often didn’t accept new members for hundreds of years at a time, they were considered the most proficient riders in existence. The only reason that it was a patron of the Golds was because the small regiment had began there and they avoided shifting positions to break up their squad.

Trinity’s brother, Steven, had been nominated two years ago.

She still remembered that letter; a small, crisp envelope, with an intricate wax seal. She had been disappointed at first, when she saw thin, curving characters that were definitely not her brothers’. However, it quickly passed when she realised that it was the first tidbit of first-hand information about her brother, definitely not the same as the rumours that she was hearing and had been hearing consistently for the past year. Devouring the words, Trinity remembered she had grabbed Mina and lifted her up, twirling her about the room for a second, before eventually calming down when she had threatened to crash into the side of the tent and bring it all down.

Trinity smiled, fingering the small antler necklace that her brother had given to her when he had broken it in a playful brawling match. Which, of course, wasn’t quite so playful after that point.

“Hey now, Trin, why’re you crying?”

“B-Because… You… You got hurt! Why did you get hurt? I don’t want you to… to get hurt…”

“Oh, come here. You know nothing bad is gonna happen to big bro, right? You know what, let’s do this.”

Deft fingers tore a strap of leather off of one sleeve, tying it around the small fragment of bone before gently slipping it around Trinity’s neck. 

“There; how about we make a deal? Starting from now, big bro’s not gonna get hurt. If I do get hurt, badly, you can take that necklace and show it to me, to remind me, alright?”

“O-Okay… Promise?”

A hand reached out and pat the necklace in confirmation, soft blue eyes crinkling in kindness and love.

“Promise.”

Slowly receding from the sweet memory, Trinity fingered the pale, alabaster bone, still bound around her neck. Lifting it up, she smiled at how small the little shard of ivory looked; it barely fit a joint in her index finger, and was twice as thin. But how serious it had looked to young her! But what she appreciated most, out of all else, was how serious her brother had gotten when her young mind warped the situation out of the realms it was in. 

And, if she dared to admit it, a small part of her still grasped onto that promise.

Lifting her head up when Mina came into the tent yawning as loudly as a pint-sized Elvian could, Trinity tucked the rough necklace back into her undershirt, smiling softly at her friend. “Tired?” She inquired, patting the space next to her on the bed.

Positively leaping onto the soft covers, Mina groaned loudly, rolling onto her stomach and burying her face in the sheets. “So tired. I honestly could just fall asleep on my feet.” She murmured, her voice muffled by the sheets.

Patting blonde hair in consolation, the black-haired girl shrugged. “Well, at least tomorrow we’ll be well on our way; just think, an entirely new rank!” And finally, a chance to see my brother again, she added mentally, unable to keep just a hint of giddiness out of her voice.

Sharp green eyes stared accusingly at the taller girl. “Oh, come on. I can see right through you; you might be able to hide from other people, but I know… I…” Her sentence was interrupted by another wide yawn. “I know you’re just excited to see Steven. Come on. Admit it.” Teasingly poking and nudging Trinity, Mina wiggled her eyebrows, mouth stretching into a roguish grin. 

Frowning slightly in embarrassment, Trinity looked away and crossed her arms. “That’s not it, okay!?” She retorted, though the red dusting the tips of her ears belied what she said. 

“Suuure. Alright, you’re totally not looking forward to meeting your brother. What the hell was I thinking?” Mina responded sarcastically, one eyebrow raised. 

Obstinately ignoring the other girl, Trinity seemed to turn farther away, letting out air in a frustrated huff. “It’s not, okay? I’m just… I’m just excited!” A pause. “To meet the prince! Can you believe that Mytha’s Third, the crown prince, will be coming with us? I heard he used to be a Midas himself, until he was nominated as heir. Do you think he’s visiting old friends, or on business?” Suddenly standing up and cutting off any reply from Mina with a wave of her hand, Trinity marched towards the opposite bed. 

“Besides! We should get to sleep now, we have a long day tomorrow!” Taking off her shoes, she climbed into the opposite bed, turning away from Mina to face the wall.

“Uh… Trinity? That’s Sam’s bed -oh alright.” Chuckling, Mina turned away as well, the two of them falling into sleep and silence not soon after.

\- - - - -

Trinity woke with a groan, feeling the entire bed creaking from the force that she was being shaken with. Turning on her side, she blearily opened her eyes, smacking her mouth a few times to get the dry feeling and rancid taste out of her mouth.

“Ugh… Mina, what?” Trinity muttered, voice hoarse from sleep, blurry vision only able to make out the familiar dome of light blonde hair of her zealous partner.

“It’s time, Trin, It’s time! Well, okay, It’s an hour before the time, but still! I’m just so excited and I just woke up like an hour ago and I know I’ll be tired later but it’s just too exciting to miss and go back to sleep for don’t you just-”

Trinity sat up, cutting Mina off with a brusque slash of a hand, raising the other to cover her mouth. Yawning loudly, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and cracked her neck, before turning to look at the silent but still quite visibly energetic girl bouncing in front of her.

“So you woke me up an hour before we’re due at the clearing and only got less than five hours of sleep because of… Your excitement? Don’t you usually need, like, three hours before you’re fully awake?” Trinity punctuated her sentence with a raise of a brow, her expression both teasing and exasperated at the same time.

The petite Elvian in front of her stopped her jitteriness for a short moment to sheepishly rub at the back of her neck. “Ahahh… Sorry?” She tried, green eyes searching for sympathy and finding none.

Heaving a sigh, Trinity merely answered by swinging her legs over the bed, reaching for her armour. “Ah, who am I kidding; I would have woken soon anyways. Just let me get ready.”

\- - - - -  
Walking side by side, the two Elvians made their way towards the clearing, excitement clearing overtaking one of them, accompanied by a subdued eagerness, almost concealed in the other. The faded purple sky accompanied by washed-out stars signified the start of dawn, though most light was obstructed by the lush canopy above their heads. Turning to look at each other, Trinity and Mina giggled in unison before simultaneously putting the elegant gold circlets that signified their rank onto their heads. And not a moment too soon, as the well-walked path quickly opened up into the training clearing.

Both were stopped in their tracks, surprised. It seemed that they were not the only ones to arrive early; almost every other new Gold was already milling about, accompanied by four of the famed Midas Riders. The others were most likely waiting at the gates, already impatient to move.

Wearing elegant and form-fitting armour crafted completely out of hardened gold, they were absolutely resplendent atop their Elkrin mounts, the animals giving them an unfair height advantage, making them seem more intimidating than they already were. Now, most of them stared down at the new arrivals, eyes unreadable. The crown prince was especially magnificent, in a cape of brilliant white and a crown of everleaves -leaves that never shriveled and eternally retained the colour that they were when cut- on flaxen hair. Trinity felt more than saw Mina take in a breath, and a glance confirmed her suspicions; the petite Elvian was completely enamored, a blush spreading like wildfire from her chest to her ears when the prince caught her gazing unabashedly and shot her a cheeky grin and a wink. Trinity chuckled and gave Mina a nudge, wiggling her eyebrows and sticking out her tongue. This strange triangle of silent banter continued without any sign of stopping, the prince getting bolder and lifting a silvery green everleaf from the foliage atop his head, holding it towards Mina as both a gift and an invitation. Mina was just about to step forward to take it; That is, until a rider spoke out, effectively interrupting the moment.

“Who let you put the gold crown on?” A voice boomed, reminding Trinity of the Silver captain.

She disliked it -him- instantly.

However, she still managed to remain polite, although her features hardened slightly with surprise and distaste. “I’m sorry, sir?”

“You are not a gold.” The man stepped down from one of the elkrin, showing himself to be a muscular but stocky man with shockingly light hair and angry brown eyes. “You will not be a gold until you have started your training. So, as of now, you have no right to be wearing that crown. Do you understand me?” He barked furiously, head tipped imperiously to glare condescendingly at the two.

However, it was a bit hard for Trinity to feel fully intimidated by someone shorter than her. Biting back a smile at his resemblance to a furious cub, she promptly tipped her head. “I… See. I’m… So very sorry, sir. Hopefully this mistake can be dismissed; I promise it won’t happen again.” She then discretely elbowed Mina to get her to follow, having to bite her lip to stop from smiling when she heard a small hiss of pain followed by a string of rambled apologies.

The man in front of her merely huffed and turned away, most likely surprised at actually getting an apology. Mounting his Elkrin again, Trinity rose, only to feel a sudden clap on her shoulder.

“Look at you, Trin, look at you! Not even at the Gold City yet and already a little rascal!” 

That voice…

Trinity whirled around, blue eyes widening in shock as she stared into blue that was much too similar to her own.

A blue she hadn’t seen in four years. 

He didn’t seem like he changed at all; tall, fair, but also finely muscular at the same time,  
he had the same fair features and high cheekbones that Trinity did, and the same black hair and the same blue eyes that were currently crinkled in joy and mirth. His hair was wilder and curlier than ever, though it was surprisingly cut short, resting at the nape of his neck in a pitch-black wave instead of the middle of his back. He had a new scar along one eyebrow -something that made Trinity’s heart squeeze tight in worry- but aside from that...

Trinity couldn’t help it; tears started welling up against her control, and she took one step back, almost to look at him from a farther point of view, to assure that he was real. 

Almost like in answer, the man clad in gold raised his arms, like an invitation.

“Brother… Is it? Is it really?” Letting out a choked little gasp, Trinity threw herself into his open arms, little hiccups and bubbling laughs now mixing together.

“Hey, Trin.... Look at you, so tall now! What’ve you been doing?” The eldest said softly, arms tight but gentle in their embrace. Rubbing a hand across her hair, he swept aside slightly tousled bangs and kissed Trinity lightly on the forehead. 

Trinity merely clutched him tighter, almost like she was afraid he would disappear if she let go. “Brother, I missed you so much…” She murmured, tears threatening to fall anew.

“Hey, now, don’t be like that; we’ll be together for a long time now, eh? But for now, we really should get going, seeing as everyone’s present.” A touch of regret was heard in his voice, and he gave Trinity a consoling pat.

Reluctantly breaking apart, Trinity stepped back in line with Mina, smiling happily and wistfully and wiping tears from her eyes. The two of them shared a silent look, both breaking into wide smiles.

“Well… Now that that’s done…” A lone voice drawled, warm and inviting despite the inherent lazy tone. Trinity’s eyes trailed towards the voice, landing on the prince, a mischievous grin on his face as he sat upon his beautiful white Elkrin. “I think we can just skip the formalities and get on with it. We do have a bit of ground to catch, no? And Steven.” His voice suddenly turned teasing, eyes shining with secrets. “Nice to see you finally catching up with ‘that girl’ you told me so much about. Strange that she seems to be your spitting image, eh?”

Trinity’s brother only gave the prince a sharp glare before swinging onto his Elkrin, a beautiful black and sandy pink Elkrin with soft petals spiraling perpetually down from its antlers. Giving a reassuring smile to the black-haired female, Steven then turned to the man. “Of course, my prince.” He answered vaguely and brusquely. Clearing his throat, he continued, this time in a much more authoritative voice. “Right! Well, now is the time for you greenlings to demonstrate your prowess. Call your Elkrin; we will be on our way in three minutes. And I do mean three minutes.” Ending with a discrete, comforting wink, he then steered his steed towards the others clad in gold, watching the greenlings with sharp, scrutinizing eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Three Teaser:
> 
> The standard leafed-sword that all Riders carried was clutched in a trembling right hand.
> 
> Long gashes, not deep enough to be dangerous, but deep enough to bleed deep rivers of red, scored the palm of his left hand.
> 
> “Do you feel it? Their lives… Their blood… It’s even thicker than mine. They’re beating at my soul…” The man continued, rambling, spittle flying out of his mouth. 
> 
> Even the general was unsettled as he slowly got off his stead, inching towards the man with his sword out by his side. “Copper. I am going to have to ask you to…”
> 
> He was not given a chance to finish as the bedraggled man suddenly lunged forward, madness jerking his movements as his battered and bloody sword swung forward in a surprisingly vicious arc.


	4. Crimson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, is it Thursday already? This is insane, I need to pick up my writing! 
> 
> Anyways, another update! Things start getting interesting here. Or so I like to think.
> 
> Warning for a spot of violence and a bit of blood.

Trinity whisked some hair out of her face, the brisk trot that they were traveling at whipping some strands into her eyes and mouth. Grimacing and spitting out a small bug, she coughed in slight embarrassment when the short little general from earlier turned around just enough to give her a scathing glare. Coughing again, Trinity turned away to glance after her brother, a smile creeping it’s way onto her face as she stared at his new haircut and his steed, grin growing wider as the faint smell of cherry blossoms hit her nostrils.

“Halt!” The Gold at the front of the group suddenly crowed, arm raised with a fist clenched.

Slowly nudging her steed to a stop, Trinity frowned. Why were they stopping in the middle of the trail? The Riders were nothing but efficient; a rest stop near the beginning of a six hour ride like this was nearly unheard of unless someone was bleeding or sick.

“Copper! What are you doing on the connecting trail to Gold!?” The man at the front yelled.

Trinity and Mina exchanged a confused glance. A lone rider on the trail during Initiation Week was even rarer than rest stops.

Lost in their confusion, the two of them failed to hear what was said next, only jolted awake by a sudden jostling of the tightly knit group, followed by a low, unsettled muttering throughout the .entire group. The eerie rasp of fine metal blades was heard.

A laugh. And then a loud thump.

Trinity peered around the person in front of her, eyes widening at what she saw.

The lone copper that the general was referring to lacked any of the elegant air that the riders had. His skin was chalky and splotched with grime. His hair was stringy and oily, a thick mat of mahogany layered upon his head. His armour was scratched and torn. The most unsettling was his eyes and his twisted expression; leaf green eyes shined with both fragmented and unfiltered emotion, his mouth twisted up in a limp sneer. Really, he was so different from the prim and 'proper' riders that it was practically the difference between night and day.

“The little hearts… The little hearts keep pounding, pounding, pounding.” The man rasped, his voice cracking. He took another small step forward, and the entire group shifted back again.

The jostling gave Trinity a bigger window, and she was able to see what was clutched in his right hand, and what was wrong with his left.

The standard leafed-sword that all Riders carried was clutched in a trembling right hand.

Long gashes, not deep enough to be dangerous, but deep enough to bleed deep rivers of red, scored the palm of his left hand.

“Do you feel it? Their lives… Their blood… It’s even thicker than mine. They’re beating at my soul…” The man continued, rambling, spittle flying out of his mouth.

Even the general was unsettled as he slowly got off his stead, inching towards the man with his sword out by his side. “Copper. I am going to have to ask you to…”

He was not given a chance to finish as the bedraggled man suddenly lunged forward, madness jerking his movements as his battered and bloody sword swung forward in a surprisingly vicious arc.

That swing threw everyone into motion; some leapt off their elkrin, while others sheathed their swords and pulled out a bow. Trinity was one of those who traded their sword for a bow, pulling the finely crafted wood off her back. Knocking an arrow, Trinity pointed it straight at the temple of the crazed man who was surrounded by now. The general was completely unscathed but furious.

“Copper!” He screamed, face blotched red with fury. “To raise a hand against those above you earns you jail time, and a demotion!” Sneering, he continued, waving at a few Riders to come up and apprehend the man. “Not that you have anywhere to be demoted to.”

That sentence seemed to incense the wild man, and he began kicking and bucking against the two Riders who were struggling to cuff him. “Classes! Ranks! Race! I spit on the blood of your kin, I spit on your broken song! COME! COME COME COME, I COMMAND OF YOU! TIED TO ME, YOU WILL LISTEN! LITTLE BIRDIES, YOU ALL WILL SHRIEK!” He yelled, voice raucous and hoarse. drool dribbled down his chin and his entire form was tense, muscles and veins standing out in sharp clarity against his pasty white skin. He continued yelling before a hasty gag was stuffed in his mouth.

Trinity sighed in relief, relaxing her hold on the bow as the last cuff was tied and the man was unceremoniously thrown onto the back of one of the cart elkrin. That man had certainly unsettled her; she had never seen anything, or heard anything, like him before. The Riders lived a rather regulated and uptight life, and there had never even been a rebellion in the entire lineage of those bonded to the magical deer, despite the rigid system that left plenty to be desired.

Trinity’s eyes darted to the man, however, when she heard a strange sound. She was sure, if she bothered to look elsewhere, she would see that all other eyes were trained on him, as well.

Was he… Laughing?

Indeed he was. Shoulders shaking from mirth, he stared back at the collective group, tears streaming from his eyes. A loud mumbling was heard, but legible words failed to reach their ears, the gag blocking his speech.

Suddenly, the trees around them -beautiful birch trees, with delicate silvery green leaves- started shaking and rustling, and the sound of pounding hooves was heard, followed by a chorus of blood chilling cries that spoke of such deep conflict and betrayal that Trinity felt like her own heart was splitting in two.

Ten Elkrin suddenly leapt into the clearing and onto the path, each of them keening and stamping at the ground. All of them were Bloom Elkrin, some of the most common around, who thrived in verdant forests nearly everywhere.

However, there was something extremely… Off about these ten. Normal Bloom Elkrin never much alienated from the colours orange and purple; however, these ones carried splotches of deep read all along their bodies, almost like a plague, and their eyes -usually a calm and depthless black- shone with the same malignant colour.

Their cries grew in volume, and the biggest male there stamped a hoof and snorted, tossing its head. its normally graceful movements were jerky and stiff, and his eyes gleamed with a tormented light.

However, Trinity could ponder none of this, for the next second all ten rushed forward at the Riders with stunning speed, thundering into the group and sending them into disarray. They would toss out their antlers and gouge whatever they could, or flail their hooves about, aiming at the legs of other Elkrin, no matter if they belonged to the riders or not. Trinity heard a sudden snap, and a sharp, animalistic scream; one of the tame steeds had just been kicked viciously in the foreleg, and had been sent into a painful crouch; the initiate rider was pulled off of his deer within seconds by an enraged buck, the biggest Bloom Elkrin. Knocking him into the ground and stamping over him before rushing back into the group, the elkrin left a trail of crimson in his wake. The man didn’t even have time to scream, his body prone and lifeless, his neck crushed and his blood dribbling out onto the once pristine path.

In the midst of all the turmoil, Trinity knocked arrow after arrow, but to no avail; the arrows that did find their mark in deer hide seemed to only infuriate the feral elkrin, and none of her arrows had struck true. The abnormal animals were moving about in such jerky and unpredictable ways it was hard to land a shot in the midst of the chaos. She had only seen two allied elkrin fall so far, not including the initiate’s steed. Cursing and exchanging her bow for a sword, Trinity had just pulled out the shimmering blade when a stray deer rammed into her own, out of her periphery; thrown clear into the air before she could even shout, her heart tore when she heard her beloved Elkrin's sheer cry of pain. Forest and human alike blurred past her as she was catapulted. Slamming into a tree, Trinity saw her elkrin staring at her, eyes glazed in pain, and was unable to process anything else as her vision faded to black, her Elkrin's shrill scream accompanying her into the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh, yes! Headcannons! How wonderful!
> 
> I'm also really sorry about some of this formatting; AO3 'edits' it sometimes and I'm not that great of a proof-reader, myself. Please tell me if there are any formatting errors.
> 
> Also! The lore is always updating. If I'm missing anything, just tell me~


	5. Premonitions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Thursday, another chapter! Geez, I really do need to pick up on my writing. ^^;
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy the fifth installment!

The world was filled with flames.

She watched the very water burn as two beings circled each other in the sky, their power greater than she could ever comprehend.

The other heart, beating against hers, was going to tear her apart.

The booming thrum of the heartbeat grew louder, louder- she could feel it in her ears, reaching down, twisting, grabbing, filling-

And blood dripped onto the ground, onto the single standing stump of a razed forest, as the earth shook with the same beat. The blood stained wood, creating patterns that her failing gaze could no longer recognise.

A shriek, and feathers and flames burst in the sky.

Chains. Chains and blood and death and loss and loneliness and-

Trinity woke with a gasp, clawing at the sheets caging her body as she jerked into a sitting position, regretting it a second later when her head squeezed painfully in protest and a sharp spike of pain ripped through her abdomen. Letting out a choking, pained gasp, Trinity squeezed her eyes shut and clasped both her hands to her head, trying to will the pounding away.

For some reason unbeknownst to her, she could taste charred… something in her mouth, mingling with the old, metallic taste of washed-out blood. 

Her heartbeat seemed unnaturally loud in her ears, but she could hear a faint, murmuring voice above the din. Slowly raising her head, Trinity squinted at a wavering form, hovering in front of her. As her vision cleared, the person revealed themselves to be an Elvian nurse, who was currently fussing around, looking at her with a mixture of relief and concern as she continued speaking in that quiet murmur.

“-fine. Just don’t exert yourself too much; you’re very lucky you didn’t break or sprain anything.” She concluded. Even though Trinity had missed the majority of what she had said, the sable-haired girl still nodded, hands still clasped loosely around her temples as if her palms could reel in the pain.

“I’ll leave you alone for now. It is highly suggested you rest. Just call if you need anything.” The nurse continued after a slight pause, turning around to leave.

After the nurse left, Trinity was able to clear her head. Gazing around her, she took in her surroundings; it seemed like she was in a makeshift tent of sorts, almost like the ones back at the silver camp except slightly less put together, with fewer furnishings. Really, besides her bed, there was barely any accommodations that would speak of someone actually using the tent. Of course, there was a little table lined neatly with medical supplies, but that was about it. Suddenly, a thought entered her head, something that had been lurking beneath the surface and hidden by the pain. Trinity panicked, fear shooting through her; what had become of her friends? The other riders? Her brother? Trinity made as if to get up, hissing when the pain prevented her from moving. 

“Nurse?! Nurse!!” She rasped as loud as she could, her dry throat rubbing painfully against her tongue. “I need- I need to-”

The aforementioned lady rushed back into the tent and to her bedside, eyes sparkling with barely dampened worry as she started to fuss. “What? What do you need? What-”

“My brother.” Trinity gasped, tongue feeling fuzzy in her mouth. “Mina. Where are they? Are they alright? They…” She started to sniffle, tears threatening to spill out.

The nurse’s panicked expression softened a touch, and she placed a comforting hand over Trinity’s. “Your brother… Your brother is fine. As for your friend, Mina…” She trailed off, looking away.

Trinity did cry, then, but she continued to grip the nurse’s hand like a vice, knuckles growing pale, teeth grit as she tried to choke down the pain that was threatening to overwhelm her.

“Mina…? She… She didn’t make it, did she?” 

A slow shake of a head was her only answer.

Strangled sobs started to wrench their way out of Trinity’s throat, the wounded girl not caring if anyone heard her; Mina was the first -and some could argue the only- friend that she had made at camp silver, and the eight months that she had stayed with the short, elfish girl had brought them closer than mere roommates. Closer than best friends, even.

Mina had been family.

And now she was gone.

Trinity felt like her heart was going to split into two. “B-but… Is she…? Did they manage to... “ She paused, trying to swallow the obstruction in her throat. “Did they manage to… Recover the body?” The least she could do was give the girl the burial that she deserved. Mina didn’t deserve a death like this; she was fated to do great things, big things, and all of that potential was suddenly… Gone.

“Yes.” The nurse moved forward to stop the injured girl from shifting. 

“Yes, but…”

Trinity blinked once, twice. The tears that had receded a few seconds ago were threatening to come back. A cold hand seized her heart. What else could have possibly gone wrong?

“But what?”

“But there… She’s…” The nurse’s voice dropped down to a solemn whisper.

“They still need to… Piece her back together.”

Trinity felt her heart grow searingly hot, then settle into a frightening chill. Images starting forcing their way into her mind against her own accord, frightening in their clarity. 

Her hand wreathed in flames, an inferno tearing at her clothes, her hair, her skin. Brilliant yellow eyes staring at her.

A field of blood, of bodies. Lush grass stained with garish red.

A crow. A stump. A brilliant coal. And her bloody hand. The last things that she sees as her eyes slip shut.

The images vanished almost as quickly as they appeared, leaving Trinity with nothing but a faint feeling of loss and uneasiness. She blinked once, lost in the realm between imagination and premonition, before all the grief rushed back.

Hanging her hand, Trinity merely stared blankly at the bandages on her hands, and the smooth blanket underneath.

“Please… Just go. I just… I want to be left alone.” She murmured.

And so Trinity sat there, lost in her thoughts until the moon rose and exhaustion overtook her, sending her into troubled dreams.

\- - - - -  
“Are you sure it was right to send her those premonitions, Mimir?” Verdandi purred, tail languidly swishing through the air as her hooves -or were they paws?- crossed themselves in studied nonchalance. “Much better that she live in the moment, lest she try to change the fate bestowed upon her.”

The Ancient of the Future -Mimir- uncoiled himself from where he had been resting on the ground, wispy form flickering in and out of view, the eye in the middle of his head the only thing that glowed with striking clarity.

“I would disagree, my dear Verdandi.” His voice was a mere whisper, but seemed to envelop the entire cavern, resonating around them, but constantly fading in and out. 

“I would like to see her prepared. He is coming back. I know you’re too enveloped in current affairs to notice, Verdandi. But it is indeed coming to pass.” A side of his mouth twitched up in an impish smirk as the Ancient of the Present huffed and tossed her head. However, that smile quickly grew somber as he turned his head and seemingly stared at nothing. 

“Sometimes I feel like my eye sees too much, Verdandi. But I suppose… The future simply cannot cease. And so I’ll continue looking, searching, seeking…” Mimir sighed, a weary, fatigued sound. 

“Perhaps someday I will be allowed to close my eye and rest. But today is not the day. And I don’t suppose yesterday was, either.” 

He settled back into the position he was in before. 

“I simply wish that our brother will come back. Hopefully his grudge won’t carry on for too long, eh?”

The two of them chuckled at that, thinking about their stubborn fool of a brother, eternally cloaking his eyes, content to staying in his memories.

The memories would not save him -them- now, not this time.

And so the two ancients slept, in their home that was nestled somewhere in the nether-reaches of time.

Both slipping into their versions of sleep, everything was silent and still in their corner of the universe, the moon trickling sunlight in through various holes in the ceiling.

The chilling ice-white light landing on a mural painted on the wall, the being depicted long forgotten, lost in the vestiges of time and progress.

Blank, white eyes, illuminated for just a second, reflected the light with cold sentience, jaws open and baring sharp, cruel teeth, almost like they were bellowing a hateful promise.

As the moonlight continued to shine, one could see, hidden beneath the skin of Ancients in rest a tense tightness of muscles, and the twitch of plagued dreams. Dreams of a world, long ago, that had almost been thrown into ruin by a terrifying force.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope none of y'all will miss the pint-sized Rider... Too much. 
> 
> For those who don't know, Mimir is a Norse character who earned one of Odin's eyes. He was beheaded in a later war, and beheaded. His head was preserved by Odin, who consulted it for valuable advice about future events. I thought it was fitting to use a Norse name, seeing as Verdandi has Norse roots as well!
> 
> Did I get any lore wrong? The thread is constantly updating, and I honestly don't check it as much as I should, haha. Please do rate/review, and tell me if there's anything off!
> 
> On another note: would y'all like to see some companion art? I've been scheming, and I'm not sure if I want to add some. If you guys would like some, then, I'd be happy to show you guys what I've been working on!
> 
> Until next Thursday~!


	6. Gates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lost my story shell somehow, somewhere, and thus kind of just... stopped. But with NaNoWriMo happenin', I thought I'd freehand this and see where it goes. Of course, I'm probably not going to be able to actually participate, but it's nice to contribute.

The next time Trinity awoke, it was the dead of night.

She wrenched herself from fevered dreams and jumbled thoughts to feel a pair of hands covering her own. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she smiled in joy when she saw her brother sitting at the foot of her bed.

“Steven… Oh, I was so worried.” She murmured, tears again threatening to well up in her eyes.

He merely smiled and brought her hands up to his cheek, partially obscuring her mouth. 

“Don’t worry, Trinity. Big brother will always be here.” He whispered back, a strange, sad light in his eyes.

“But… Brother, are you okay? Are you sure you can be here right now? How hurt are you? Do you need anything?” Trinity’s voice cracked as she surveyed her brother. He had a thin strip of bandages wrapped around his head near his temple, a split lip and hints of bruising around his jaw. He probably had more severe injuries in places she couldn’t see, covered by clothing. Seeing him hurt made her heart squeeze with worry. Also, despite the fact that she was training to become one of the Guard, there weren’t many disputes to settle in Elvian territory; most of the little ‘sects’ of Elvian cities were well-running, oiled machines, and close ties were kept with all close Elvian neighbours.

Steven merely smiled, blue eyes crinkling at the corners as he stared at her for a moment, before his eyes flicked to the side.

“I’ll be fine. It’s you I’m worried about.” He murmured, his mouth so close to her hands that she could feel every puff of breath on her fingers.

Trinity’s eyes followed Steven’s gaze as she looked towards the tent flap; nothing really seemed out of the ordinary, except for a shadow of a guard stationed outside of her tent. The nurse was probably out and about somewhere, tending to the rest of the injured Elvians. 

“Brother… You know I’ll be fine. Nothing’s broken or sprained, just my abdomen hurts a bit. And I get a few headaches now and then, but I’m okay. Just…” Trinity broke off, eyebrows scrunched in confusion as she followed her brother’s gaze as it again wandered to the tent flap.

“Brother, what are you doing? What are you looking for? Do you need something?” the young Elvian felt a faint sense of apprehension wash over her as Steven said nothing for a second, his eyes slowly wandering back to glare at hers with a ferocious intensity. 

“Brother… You’re kind of scaring me. Can you let go? You’re kind of hurting my hands…” Trinity tried tugging her hands from Stevens, to no avail. He was gripping so hard his knuckles turned white, and she could feel the tense muscles snatching at hers.

Steven merely tugged her hands closer until his lips were ghosting over her knuckles, the strange, too-bright light never leaving his eyes. If she didn’t know better, it almost seemed like her brother was desperate.

“How would you like to live, little sis?” Steven suddenly murmured, his whisper almost disappearing into the obstruction created from Trinity’s hands.

The tired girl merely blinked a few times, not quite processing what was happening.

“The prince is dead. You were the only person there with no obvious wounds, lil’ sis. And your Elkrin…” His voice broke, and a strangled gasp tore out of his throat. “Your elkin was the only one not ripped to pieces. Or at least… He was the only one not present. The lunatic is gone. The King of Midas is looking for a person to blame. Do you know what I’m saying, Trin? You need to understand.” A sense of urgency had entered Steven’s quiet voice. With growing fear, Trinity realised that while the event had made them lose many valuable members, they had also gained a scapegoat.

“No one can know what happened, Sis. If word gets out, that pass will be shut down and travel between gold and silver would become practically nonexistent. Not to mention the slaughter of so many valuable people, and the disappearance of… That man…” Steven grimaced, teeth bared in hate, struggling to restrain his voice.

“Damn him! If only he was still at the scene. But I guess that’s to much to ask of a rabid monster that we handcuffed, eh?” He laughed bitterly then, his hands still gripping hers with a painful tightness.

“I’ve gotta hold up my role as big brother now, huh.” He murmured, before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

“Get dressed, Sis. Now.” He said, voice still soft but encircling her like a vise.

Trinity slowly got out of bed, Head still fuzzy and completely in turmoil. Her side protested in pain when she stood up, slightly unsteady. Steven was at her side, aiding her, helping her put on armour. It reminded her of when they played dress up, when the two of them were both young

Steven turned slightly to shoot Trinity a small smile when she finished donning her armour, giving her a small pat on the head.

“Big brother will look after you, alright?” He suddenly unsheathed his sword and headed for the door, Trinity too confused to voice protests.

He leapt through the tent flap, his shadow towering over the one of the guard. 

“H-hey! Just what do you think you’re doing with that-” 

Trinity watched as a blade was lifted, the hilt slamming into the helmet of the guard’s with a jaw-rattling force. There was a thud as the guard toppled, unconscious, and Steven poked his head back through the flap, motioning for Trinity to run, holding out a hand.

Grasping it like her lifeline, she took off along with him, feet still quite nimble despite the stiffness in her joints and the jarring pain in her side that just seemed to get worse. Buildings whirled past as they ran, the only sound their feet and the soft clink of their armour. Soon, buildings faded into lush grassland, the cobbled path fading to packed dirt as their destination became all too clear.

The great walls surrounding each majour Elvian city were considered architectural feats unable to be replicated for at least the next century. Each stood taller than a rearing male Drake, and were covered in massive works of art that detailed pieces from grand Elvian rulers to a detailed mural of pivotal points in Eldemorian history. The walls were thicker than two full grown Elkrin stags standing nose to tail, and underneath the heavy metal sheets on the outside were complex gears, massive and said to be forged with the aid of the rare Dragoons themselves. The walls of the Gold City were covered in massive portraits of past rulers, and Trinity couldn’t help but feel like the insanely realistic gazes of the paintings were staring at her in contempt and disappointment.

Steven slowed as they neared the gates, steadying Trinity as she nearly tumbled to her knees; the run had taken a toll on her, and the pain was twisting its way into her gut like a flaming spire, beating along with her pulse.

He steadied Trinity against a nearby wall, then murmured “Stay here.”, quick but stern.

Walking out into the open, Steven held his hands out, palms up.

“Leucif, I know you’re here. You know what we agreed.” He called, his voice a harsh whisper-shout.

A shadow moved from under the vast expanse of the gate and slowly made its way forward, heading towards Steven.

“Yes, we did agree. It seems you did hold up your end of the bargain; I was quite surprised. But I suppose some families will truly do anything for their loved ones.” A snarl, low and guttural and somehow extremely familiar, reached Trinity’s ears. As the shadow stepped into the weak moonlight, blue eyes widened as it gazed upon a man who wore dented and tarnished gold armour like a martyr’s flag, one with an arm bandaged to the shoulder and a rust-stained bandage over one eye. Despite the gauze covering swaths of visible skin, Trinity still recognised him.

He was the Gold General from this morning, the man who had condemned her and Mina for wearing their prized gold circlets.

Her jaw clenched just thinking about Mina, but this man… What was he doing? Why?

“I’m allowing you five minutes, Steven.” The general spit out his name like it was a sour taste in his mouth that he couldn’t wait to wash out.

“Be grateful that I’m giving you this much. To think; there’d be a day where Steven himself would get caught for leading the golds and gold initiates into an ambush.”

Steven nodded, and the general turned swiftly, limping away as he muttered curses under his breath. He stumbled to series of complex symbols about eye-level on the gate, hands performing an intricate pattern before a soft series of clicks were heard, muffled by the plating on the gate. The General pushed the gate open with ease, the metal giving way with no sound except a whisper as it skimmed over grass. As soon as the gate was cracked open enough, Steven turned to Trinity and took a pack off his back, one that she hadn’t noticed him carrying. 

“Take this, and leave. You need to go, Trinity; go back to bronze. Go back to the village. Whatever you do, just leave this place.”

Steven pushed Trinity out with a bit of force when she protested, taking care not to shoulder her in any injured areas. As soon as she was out, he tossed the pack out with her, giving her one last smile, eyes flicking down to the leather cord around her neck, partly hidden by her armour.

“Don’t worry, Trin… I’ll be fine. I’ve still got a promise to keep, yeah?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, finally!!! INTO THE ACTUAL STORY, AM I RIGHT???
> 
> Be prepared for many headcannons and many, many, mythological references.
> 
> Until next time!


	7. Roads

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two thousand words, more than I've posted for a single chapter, I think!!! Unedited and finished at twelve in the morning, so there might be some errors.
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy the liberties I took with some characters and settings. Enjoy!!!

Trinity stumbled before turning around, lunging towards the gate only to hear the telltale series of smooth clicks that proclaimed it locked. Still carrying some desperate hope, she slammed on the door as heavily as her injured person would allow, hoarse voice yelling for someone, anyone, to open the door. But the Elvian outposts were either paid off by Steven or in the midst of a shift change, and none heeded her. That, and the expanse of metal and mechanical workings simply muffled her thuds and yells until they were basically nonexistent. 

Growling in frustration, Trinity slumped against the door, eyes straying to the large bag by her feet. Grabbing it and ripping it open, she stared at the contents: a simple unmarked shortsword, a pouch of what was most likely money, a change of clothing, a bow and a small quiver of arrows, along with a crumpled note. Grabbing the sorry piece of paper, a short skim was all she needed. Grimacing as she squeezed her eyes shut, a single tear slipped down her face as she put the paper in her current pants pocket. Cursing under her breath, Trinity slung the pack over her shoulder and started walking, the soft hiss of wind blowing across grass and leaves her only company as she left the gates and entered the dense forest.

\- - - - -  
She had been walking for long enough that the pre-dawn light was already trickling through the dense foliage in any place it could, although the ground remained mostly bathed in twilight. Having taken off her armour roughly an hour ago, Trinity laboured through the forest in only a short tunic and riding breeches, her new weapon additions hanging at her hip and on her back to decrease the soreness long settled into her shoulders. Shifting the bag yet again, Trinity placed a supporting hand on her waist, struggling forward. Her wounds were tender and inflamed, a couple most likely re-opened despite the miracle medicine paste and tight bindings. Her sweat was chafing the cloth, and her overall uncomfort combined with the weariness from lack of sleep and troubled dreams was tempting her to just drop under a tree and sleep. A hand found its way to her pants pocket of its own volition, feeling for the wrinkled piece of paper, now warm and just a touch damp from her perspiration, a constant reminder that pushed her forward.

She hadn’t taken any of the main roads, or even any side roads; Gold City was more populated than most, and they most likely would have had squadrons combing the trails and some surrounding forests for her. Or, they would have, if it wasn’t for Steven. Trying to swallow around the now ever-present lump in her throat, Trinity shook her head to clear her head from both painful, jumbled thoughts and weariness that was starting to settle to her very core, stiffening her limbs and dulling her senses. 

She had been walking for another couple of hours or so, the sun already shining brilliantly in the sky and painting the undergrowth with a dappled golden hue, when the Golden Birch of the Elvian forests started to trickle away, replaced by paper birch mixed with some oaks and ash trees. Running a hand across the trunks, her dull and tired mind tried to figure out what that meant. Something she had learned in her studies…?  
It had taken another hour of stumbling for anything else out of the ordinary to happen. Her clothing was now dirtied and grimy from all the times she had tripped over roots both clearly labeled and hidden, her exhaustion turning her coordination and motor skills to mush as she practically limped her way towards a destination unbeknownst to her. She had almost missed the transition from forest to worn dirt, her mind dimly registering the sudden glare of the sun. Stopping and blinking as she tried to force the spots out of her eyes, Trinity continued walking and failed to connect the faint clunks of wood as anything more than branches conflicting with other branches until she saw a shadow in her periphery. Whirling around as the fear of being caught settled in, she stumbled in her depleted state and dropped like a stone, hitting her head on the armour in her pack with a nasty thud, knocked out on the spot.

\- - - - -  
“Nawatt, my dear friend, you didn’t run her over did you?”

A young man with shaggy black hair tipped with silver scoffed, although most of his expression was hidden underneath an expansive red blindfold. “As if. Do you see all this space between the wagon and the girl?” He leaned back on his seat, crossing his arms in an act of huffy displeasure. “As if someone of my caliber would even make a mistake like that.”

A small, tinkling laugh. “Of course, Nawatt, of course. My apologies. Perhaps we should help the poor girl in?”

“Yes, of course.” Nawatt slowly clambered out of his seat, all lanky limbs and feet, accompanied by a child considerably smaller who gazed at the unconscious female with a scrutinizing gaze.

“Hmmm… Is she really the one?”

Nawatt shrugged, crouching down next to Trinity and delicately lifting the woman up, slowly inspecting her head for any lasting damage other than a headache and pesky bruise. “Who knows? You would need to ask my brother about that.”

“Speaking of your brother… How is the little trio-turned-duo doing?”

 

The man gave the small child a wry smile. “I know not of their current desposition or location, although I’m sure Verdandi will be sending a sign or a message soon; she had never been one for patience. Or for listening to Mimir, for that matter.” Relieving Trinity of her knapsack and tossing it to the child, Nawatt deftly swung the weak female into a bridal carry, walking over and depositing her into the wagon with little difficulty.

The child clambered in after her, brushing mousy greyish-brown hair out of her face as she settled next to the prone woman. 

“Well, I’m sure answers will come soon. But priorities first, no?”

Nawatt merely answered with a nod, returning to his seat and spurring the cart Sleipnir forward.

\- - - - -  
Trinity woke to a searing pain in her head followed by something jabbing and toying with the bandages along her stomach. Slowly opening her eyes and thanking the stag that she wasn’t met with searing sunlight, she tried to sit upright and started to grope blindly for a weapon, her mind gibbering in terror about thieves and kidnappers. She was held down by surprisingly small but strong hands and a face loomed before her, showing that the hands’ owner was a small and chubby child with greying brown hair and dark grey eyes. 

“Do not move; I am still redressing your wounds.” The child commanded, the juxtaposition of her speech and the high-pitched voice unsettling Trinity somewhat. 

Pausing before ignoring it and merely dismissing it as strange, Trinity lifted up slightly to see a paste of a strange consistency and strange medicinal smell partially covering the wound on her side, her old cloth wraps discarded to a corner. Relaxing slightly, she still looked at the small child with much distrust shining in dim blue eyes.

The child ignored her as well, briskly fixing her wrappings before handing Trinity a set of clothing that was made of a coarser cloth than her own, the design slightly different and boxier.

“You would stand out too much in your clothing, my dear little Elvian. You would get pegged as easy pickpocketer prey as soon as you stepped foot out of the wagon.” 

Trinity slowly reached out a hand and grabbed the clothing, clutching it to her unclothed chest before putting it on hastily, grateful for them despite the consistency that mildly chafed her skin. 

The child acknowledged her expression of slight discomfort. “Ah, it will take you a little while to accustom to the coarser cloth that the Elvians do not have. I’m sorry, anything finer would have been too noticeable.” Remembering something, the child reached a bit further down the wagon and grabbed a new knapsack, again of a slightly worse quality and different material than Trinity’s earlier bag. “The same goes for this bag. Nothing is missing, don’t worry, and I put your note in there along with your remaining set of clothing. I highly recommend you leave your old knapsack with us, or burn it, or throw it away; you cannot attract too much attention, my dear escapee.”

Trinity frowned. “How do you know so much about me?” She whispered, voice cracking from lack of use and hydration. 

The child was ever perceptive and provided Trinity with a small waterskin. “Let’s just say that my companion has some useful skills.”

Trinity turned to look at the driver, only seeing black and silver hair along with what seemed to be a red bandanna. “Of… Course.” She muttered, skepticism and suspicion clouding her voice.

“We will not hurt you, my dear Elvian. Please believe us. We are merely aiding you on your mission. This road will lead to Silverport, which we will reach in two days’ time. Nawatt and I carry no weapons, and we would not wish any harm upon you.” A chubby hand placed itself on Trinity’s shoulder as reassurance.

Trinity merely nodded, relaxing slightly although the tenseness lining her shoulders and hardening her expression remained. It was going to be a long two days.

\- - - - -  
They turned onto a main road on the afternoon of the first day. Trinity peeked out the window and saw a procession of wagons, most a little ways ahead. 

“Is Silverport a big town?”

The child shrugged; at this point, she had sort of become a personal encyclopedia, something Trinity siphoned for information. “Big enough. I’m sure it will only increase in grandeur. It is considered one of the majour human Eldemorian ports, yes. Although don’t let that decieve you; the quality of the place will certainly not be what you’re accustomed to.

Trinity sniffed contemptuously at this. “Of course! Humans are like dirty little dogs compared to us true Eldemorians, especially us Elvians. Their lifetimes are but a blink in our eyes, and-”

She was interrupted by a stern voice from outside. “Do not remain concrete in such prejudiced views, Elvian. It will earn you nothing but enemies and dismiss many opportunities. Not to mention that it will keep you at a more primitive level of existence, only able to secularize the people of Eldemore. We are one and different; the same yet privileged in our own ways. Do not let your teachings cloud your judgement and synthesize your own views through observation.” Nawatt rarely talked, but when he did it was always to interject and criticize Trinity in a convoluted but in a mostly neutral and mild way.

Sufficiently cowed, Trinity nodded stiffly. settling back into her seat on the wagon.

\- - - - -  
She was let off on the afternoon in the second day, the wagon parked under the shade of a few pines. Clambering out, she gave the child -who she could still not match a name to- a pat on the head and Nawatt a respectful nod. The two had won her respect and trust through their council and aid, and Trinity considered them as the first companions she had made outside of Elvian society. All of their eccentricities, even her fear of a blind man driving had diminished greatly when Nawatt proved himself quite capable. 

“We cannot accompany you further, I’m afraid. It would be best that you were not found in our company.” The child said, faintly apologetic. “This was enlightening, Trinity; perhaps we will meet again.” The sentence was punctuated by a cheeky smile. Trinity swore she saw the young one’s eyes flicker with violet.

Trinity knelt down and gave her a hug, before digging around in her knapsack and pouring a small pile of gold pieces into the child’s hand.

“Keep this, young one, you and Nawatt. As a thank you, I suppose, for everything you’ve briefed me on, yeah?” She murmured, giving the two of them a slight but genuine smile.

The two responded in kind, exuding warm auras as Trinity got up and began to walk away towards the skyline of Silverport in the near distance.

“So. Is she the one?” Nawatt questioned, once the Elvian was out of earshot.

The child shrugged. “Perhaps. Who knows? Fate is not a linear path, and despite your adherence to single solutions I am sure your siblings will agree that time and destinies are fluid. Perhaps we will know more when, or if, we meet again.”


	8. Shots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Close to two thousand words, again! This might make up for the lost days at the beginning of NaNoWriMo, but I honestly don't have high hopes, haha.
> 
> Hope Clare's talking ain't too hard to read; I tried to take into account the wolfkin accent, although I'm not sure how close I'm getting.
> 
> Enjoy!

The more Trinity walked, the more various modes of transportation appeared. She only recognized them from books, but even then her knowledge was clearly lacking as she was unable to distinguish between a wagon and a cart. After all, why study up on very rudimentary human modes of transportation when she had a beautiful elkrin that was twice as fast and four times as nimble?

Her heart gave a painful twinge when she suddenly thought of Lumis, she had tried calling the Elkrin many times in her arduous trek through the forest and even now as she walked, but she received no answer, felt no link. She could only wildly hope that her beloved bonded was okay, but doubt was slowly but surely oozing into her mind. Shaking the encroaching feelings of loneliness, she continued trekking, eyes focused on the cityscape before her.

Trinity’s nose wrinkled involuntarily in distaste when her feet met shoddily meshed cobblestone. The stones seemed to be placed about haphazardly and with abandon, the sizes not even close to uniform with embarrassingly large gaps in between each stone. Scuffing a foot across the stones with distaste, she only moved on when she recalled Nawatt’s earlier lecture, moving just slightly faster than before 

When she finally reached the city, she realised the child was indeed right in her assumption. Despite the fact that Silverport was to be one of the largest human cities at the time, it was still rather… Disappointing. The large wooden gates were nowhere near the grandeur of the expansive metal constructs back home, and the people were dressed in various degrees of shabbiness in clothing that seemed much coarser than hers. The city was small and messy, the only saving grace the quite exquisite and beautiful works of glass art adorning the windows of many buildings. As for the people.. Casting a critical gaze around, Trinity quickly came to the conclusion that they were very short, very stubby, and very impatient. Despite her young age she was still at least half a head taller than even the bulkiest of guards, and at least twice as slim despite her lifetime of training. They also all gazed at her with varying degrees of interest and distrust, glances that made Trinity want to take a shower as soon as she felt them. Dutifully following the flow of the crowd but still distanced from them, she swiftly moved to a quieter street as soon as the humans would allow her, gripping the sheath of her sword tighter as she prayed that she wouldn’t meet with any violence.

\- - - - -  
The next moment, she found herself in a shabby pub somewhere on the outskirts of Silverport, with the wall on one side and a fish processing plant on the other. Mostly going in to escape the pub (also because it was the only familiar sign that she saw), she was instead met with the stench of crass human alcohol and looks that were downright lecherous, completely dumbed by alcohol, or anything in between. It wasn’t full and it was dingy, but the fewer glances the better; walking forward in long, stiff strides, arriving at the bar and taking a stool near the wall, away from the only other alcoholic occupant sitting at the front. 

“I’ll be righ’ with ya, yeah?” The woman serving the drunk man said, back turned to Trinity as she poured some alcohol into a dingy glass. Turning around with the bottle still in hand, she gave Trinity one glance and merely raised an eyebrow, mouth twitching up into a sly smirk. 

“My, you ain’ from roung these parts, are ya?”

Sauntering forward, the woman leaned over the bar, much too close for Trinity’s comfort, staring at her with a pair of heterochromic eyes, one green, one amber.

Leaping off the stool, Trinity stood a few feet away, glaring at the woman with vague disgust and much pity. “You. You are a halfling. A… A…” Her voice faded as her mouth settled into a hard line.

The bartender sighed, like she was used to it. “ Ya ain’ th’only no-human t’wander round t’this place, don’ act so high’n mighty. Now siddown, an’ grab a drink.” Slamming a glass on the table, she ducked down under the bar and took out a bottle covered in dust. Uncorking it with ease and pouring some light golden liquid that contrasted heavily with the cracked beer glass, she swung her legs over the bar and sat on it, looking at Trinity expectantly.

Trinity edged forward, one hand on her blade hilt. In her experience, halflings were never really so… Calm. They were often angry, often dealt with abandonment issues and… and…

“Is that Amaro Laurier?” She breathed, amazed as she stared at the golden liquid as if in a trance.

The bartender nodded, a touch proud. “Ya, tha’ one. Wi’some o’ them gold leaves, y’know, from ‘em Elvian forests ‘bout five days away.” Lowering her voice conspiratorially, she continued. “I’hear tha’ the one who plucked ‘em leaves died o’ some sickness no’a week la’er.”

Trinity sniffed. “Of course. To harm our Elvian forests without Mythandian’s blessing compounded with innate ill intent is sacriledge. To think-” She cut herself short, eyes widening in horror as she realised what she had just revealed.

The bartender merely laughed, completely unfazed. “S’aight, kinda thought ya would be one o’em Elkrin folk, wi’ ya height an’all, not t’mention…” She reached a hand out and flicked aside a lock of hair, satisfied at the sight of white spots standing out from black hair and slightly tanned skin. “There w’go. Anyways, ya gon’have some o’this o’nah? I ain’open it for nothin’, right?” Taking a large gulp out of the beer glass to show it was harmless, she immediately recoiled with a choked hiss.  
“Gah, tha’is rancid. It’s like chuggin’ lemon rind mixed wi’tree bark, o’somethin’.”

Trinity shrugged. “Close enough, I guess.” Grabbing the beer glass, she gave a tentative sip before relaxing with a happy sigh. 

The bartender leaned forward, recovered from the drink and quite eager to glean some information about her enigmatic new arrival. “M’name’s Clar’i, by the way. You can call me Clare.”

Trinity paused, doubt still slowing her down. “...Trinity. Why are you being kind?” She said, ever blunt.

“Hey now, can’t a lone bartender jus’ wanna offer a bi’ o’ reassurance t’a lost fella like you? B’sides. It ain’t like ya got anywhere else t’be, or ya wouldn’t have came here. I just…” Clare bit her lip, leaning forward again.

“I jus… I know so lil’ bout y’all, ya know? Ya non-human folk. Ever since my momma died, I’ve been tryin’ to find ou’ more ‘bout my father, yeah? But human books ain’ gonna tell you much ‘bout ‘em. An’ wha’ be’er than one primary source, yeh?” Clasping her hands together, Clare adopted a pleading expression.

“I jus’ wan’ some info. Some info, in exchange for some food, yeah?” She was clearly getting desperate, the light in her eyes equal parts hopeful and hopeless.

Trinity still hesitated. “I…” The prospect of food was extremely, extremely enticing, and she could already feel her stomach growling its agreement. “Fine. But on one condition; you don’t ask me anything about myself or my race.”

Clare nodded a vehement yes, moving quickly to close down the pub for more privacy.

\- - - - -

Clare was in the middle of what mostly resembled an interrogation, Trinity’s only solace the bottle of Elvian drink, when the doors of the pub slammed open.

“There she is. The Elvian.”

Without even missing a beat in her question, Clare languidly reached a hand below her bar and pulled out a pistol, finely crafted but simple at the same time, clearly the only other remotely valuable thing in the entire establishment other than the Amaro. The lone bottle of alcohol and the gun together probably cost more than the entire pub.

“Y’all can get out, yeah? I’m in the middle of somethin’.”

A series of clicks were heard, along with a couple of soft, sliding sounds that were unmistakeable the sound of swords being pulled out of their sheaths.

The two women turned in unison, both unimpressed. Clare because she had most likely dealt with situations like this before, and Trinity because the concept of humans capable of capturing an Elvian was laughable.

“Give us the girl, bartender.” A surprisingly unassuming man of around thirty sighted down the barrel of a shotgun, a group of four more thug-like lackeys grouped loosely behind him.

Before anyone could say anything, Trinity sighed and slid off her stool, making her way towards the newcomers. “You could have just asked me nicely, you know? But…” In one fluid motion, she lunged forward, pulling her sword at the same time before whipping it viciously at the man with the shotgun, the hilt cracking against his skull and knocking him out almost instantly.

Clare let out a yelled string of expletives as the thugs carrying guns fired at point blank… Before their holds on their guns grew slack in horror as they realised they had just shot their boss, whom Trinity had been using as a human shield. They had most likely not expected her to be able to harness the strength to lift up an unconscious man, and Trinity looked down in disgust and pity at the two holes, dribbling blood down their now dead leaders’ back. 

A short grunt. “Humans live for such a short time. Why do you squander your time so?” She murmured, staring at the remaining thugs with distaste as she set down the leader with surprising gentleness.

“Trinity!” Claire yelled, cocking back the hammer on her own gun and firing a shot.

Trinity growled as she felt a spray of blood spatter her clothing followed by a scream, moving out of the way of a falling blade and a few bloody, scattered remains of flesh and bone. She glared up at the thug that had tried to take initiative and attack her while she was setting their leader down, one who had instead ended up with 

“No respect.” She chastised, before making quick work of the remaining thugs, their clumsy actions no match against her years of training and fighting style that was almost never seen outside of Elvian populations.

Staring down at the incapacitated bodies of the unconscious thugs by her feet, she heard Clare come up behind her. “Well… I guess tha’s one way o’takin’ care o’things.”

The blonde female frowned when that garnered no response from the Elvian. “Uh… Trinity? Y’alright? I know tha’ the shot was a bi’messy an’stuff, but I din’t have much time to be real accu...Holy Hubris, you stupid girl!!!”

Trinity had turned around, revealing a face bleached of colour where it had been a rosy tan moments before, along with blood seeping through a hole in the cloth near her left hip and blood from earlier wounds seeping through the cloth at various other places.

“Stupid humans… Not even helpful enough to block both bullets instead of just one.” Trinity rasped weakly, the pain and bloodloss becoming hard to ignore. She slowly slumped to the ground, fuzziness working its way through her limbs and sapping her of all strength and feeling.

“Oh dear Seraph this is… You… Okay. you’re comin’ wi’me.” Slinging one of Trinity’s arms over her shoulder, Clare rose to her feet with a grunt, practically dragging her forwards with all the grace of… Well, of someone dragging a wounded, unresponsive person nearly twice as tall as you out the door.

“Ugh, gotta change my sheets, my carpet, my clothes… Momma was righ’, I really should stop takin’ in strays.”

**Author's Note:**

> Did I get any of the lore wrong? Hopefully not, but if I did, please tell me!
> 
> And so ends the prologue! I swear the rest of the chapters will have a longer average word count. There will also be a bit of background before things really start getting good, so stick with me until chapter three, or something!
> 
> I'll update this weekly/bi-weekly, depending on how much I've written.
> 
> Comments/Criticism is welcome! Thank you for reading!


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